Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-03
THE WOOL TRADE.
Col. Switzler's Facts and Figures
Steady Increase Both in Produc-
ton and Imports.
An Interesting Document for Dealers
in WOOlens and Sheep-Raisers.-Im
ports and Exports in Foreign
Countries Compared.

l. u0 IcpOIb u OOls - NIbLitIs
chief of the bureau of statistics, on
wool and manufactures of wool, is now
ready for distribution and is considered
by the bureau to be one of the most valu-
able documents it has ever put forth.
The report makes with its appendix a
volume of 800 pages. It's Introductory
pages show the Importance of the sheep
and wool industries of the United States,
disclosing the characteristics CT various
kinds of wool, describe the method of i'm
provement by domestic culture and give
a history of the development of sheep
raising and wool manufacturing in this
country. It's statistical portions cover
very fully all matters relating to imports,
exports, duties collected, tariff imposed
by differents acts OF congress, prices of
wool in New York, Philadelphia and Bos-
ton during series of years, and other
material necessary to a determination of
the effect of congressional action upon
prices.
The report shows that the number of
sheep in the United States rose from
100000 in 1910 to 100000 in 1884,
but declined to As 100000 in 1887. This
decline occurred notably in Texas and is
attributed to the great decline in the
price of wool since 1884. Great Britain
being the leading wool market Of the
world, has always been, the report says,
the principal market for our purchases of
wool. Turkey and Russia have also been
important sources of supply, but the Ar
gentine Republic is now next to Great
Britain in our source of supply, followed
by Australasia. Our I'M ports of wool rose
from 100000 pounds in 1892 to LA, O38,
O3O pounds in 1887.
INCREASE IN IMPORTS.
The increase in wool imports has about
kept pace with the growth of our wool
products, both having about doubled
since 1860. A series of tables illustrates
the increase in products and in importa-
tions and the relations between the two;
as for example, from 1864 to 1868 161,-
100000 pounds were produced and 43,O00,-
900 imported; from 1874 to 1878, 1885,
100000 pounds were produced and 49,
100000 imported; from 1882 to 1886, 297,-
100000 were produced and 100000 inn
ported. From 1922 to 1881 the annual
imports of wool in manufactures aver
aged over $9,Oc0,OO0 in value, or more
than II cents per capita, while from 1882
to 1841, they reached over $14,OOO,000, or
81 cents per capita. The value of our
wooden product of 1850 was $25,000,000.
and of our imports $19,00O,090, both to-
gether being about $1.95 per capita OF
our population. In 1860 $39,00O,o00 in
value were produced and $43,000,O00 i'm
ported, together being about $3.50 pei
capita. In 1870 the product reached
$11O,0 100000 and the importations $685.
100000, being 1878 per capita. In 1886
the products had grown to 1854 100000
being 1891 per capita.
Thus, while our product of woolens has
increased since 1850 nearly seven-fold
our imports have increased about SO per
cent. but the consumption per capita
has doubled, which the statistican says
indicates in a striking manner the ad-
vancement of wealth and comfort in the
style of living among the people of this
country.
FOREIGN TRADE.
The statistics of i'm ports and exports
of woolens, in the trade of foreign cOun-
tries show that the United Kingdom is
foremost in the foreign trade in woolens,
the imports during 1885 amounting in
value to $40 ,0O0,O00 and the exports to
$1l5,OOO,OO0. France comes next with
imports of $49,OOO,O0O and exports
amounting to $7S,OOO,OOO; Germany next
with imports of $25, 100000 and exports
of $51, 100000. There has been large
decline in the wooden trade of Great
Britain since 1874 as shown by the ex-
ports, which were as follows: Exports
during the five years from 1870 to 1874,
$4,000 600, during the five years from
1880 to 1884, $548,OOOO0O, showing a de-
cline of $239,0O0,000, Or 80 per cent.
between the two periods. This decline
the royal commission on the depression
of trade, attributes in part to the high
foreign tariffs which it is claimed shut
out the manufactures of Great Britain
fro 10 foreign markets.